nothing outstanding

USAGE SUMMARY

"nothing outstanding" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to express that something is ordinary or mediocre. For example, you could say: "The food at the restaurant was good, but nothing outstanding."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

There was nothing wrong with the generous serving of chicken Marsala, but nothing outstanding either.

The New York Times

Don Julio Blanco $45 ** [rating: two stars] Tequila Lite, Prial said, with all the requisite tequila properties but nothing outstanding.

The New York Times - Food

Oleg Demidov, the information-security expert, said that, from a technical perspective, the hacking was "mediocre typical, totally standard, nothing outstanding".

The New Yorker

Villas-Boas used Paulinho as a No8 and his performances were solid enough – nothing outstanding but generally worth a six or seven out of 10.

The Guardian - Sport

Chancellor of the exchequer, 1979-83; foreign secretary, 1983-89; leader of the House of Commons, 1989-90 If you look at anything Margaret Thatcher wrote or the speeches she made before she became leader of the party, there's nothing outstanding or distinctive about them.

The Guardian

Its stats are nothing outstanding or news-making, but therein lies its elegance.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

But nothing was outstanding.

Independent

"I was expecting a fantastic bargain but there's nothing actually outstanding".

The Guardian - Business

It is not an exaggeration to say that the team that President Obama appointed to promote his green agenda is nothing short of outstanding — a great combination of scientists and policy makers committed to building an energy economy that is efficient, clean and secure.

The New York Times

"You can look at last year, and what Stevie did was nothing short of outstanding," Mundy said.

The New York Times - Sports

Now though, I look back and think they're nothing special or outstanding.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "nothing outstanding" to provide a balanced critique, acknowledging positive aspects while pointing out the lack of exceptional qualities.

Common error

While acceptable, consistently using "nothing outstanding" in formal reports or academic papers can sound repetitive. Consider using synonyms like "nothing exceptional" or "nothing remarkable" for variety.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "nothing outstanding" functions as an evaluative expression. It's used to qualify a subject by indicating its lack of exceptional or remarkable qualities. This aligns with Ludwig AI's analysis and the examples provided.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Formal & Business

10%

Science

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "nothing outstanding" is used to describe something that is adequate but lacks exceptional qualities. It's grammatically correct, according to Ludwig AI, and appears mostly in news and media sources. While suitable for general use, consider synonyms like "nothing exceptional" or "nothing remarkable" for variety, especially in formal contexts. The phrase serves to provide a neutral assessment, indicating the absence of noteworthy features.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

nothing exceptional

Replaces "outstanding" with "exceptional", maintaining a similar level of formality and meaning.

nothing remarkable

Substitutes "outstanding" with "remarkable", conveying a slightly more neutral tone.

nothing special

Uses a more informal and common term, "special", in place of "outstanding".

nothing impressive

Replaces "outstanding" with "impressive", focusing on a lack of impact.

nothing extraordinary

Substitutes "outstanding" with "extraordinary", emphasizing the absence of something unusual.

perfectly ordinary

Uses the phrase "perfectly ordinary" instead of focusing on the absence of exceptional quality.

completely average

Emphasizes the averageness of something using "completely average".

entirely unremarkable

Similar to "nothing remarkable", but uses "entirely" for emphasis.

just average

Shortens the phrase to "just average" for a more concise expression.

plain vanilla

Uses the idiom "plain vanilla" to indicate something is basic and lacks excitement.

FAQs

How can I use "nothing outstanding" in a sentence?

You can use "nothing outstanding" to describe something that is average or doesn't have any particularly impressive qualities. For example: "The presentation was well-prepared, but "nothing outstanding"."

What does "nothing outstanding" mean?

"Nothing outstanding" means that something is not particularly special, impressive, or remarkable. It implies a lack of exceptional qualities or features.

Are there more formal alternatives to "nothing outstanding"?

Yes, more formal alternatives include "nothing exceptional" or "nothing remarkable". These alternatives maintain a similar meaning but are suitable for professional or academic contexts.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "nothing outstanding"?

It's appropriate to use the phrase "nothing outstanding" when you want to convey that something is adequate or satisfactory but lacks any exceptional or noteworthy qualities. It is suitable for news, neutral, and even informal context.